National DNA Database
The National DNA Database is an initiative by the United Kingdom government to store the DNA records of those accused of crimes and retain all samples collected from crime scenes. Regulated by the Home Office, the database is described as a "key police intelligence tool"[1]. As of 31 March 2006, the database held 3,785,571 profiles[2], which equates to 5.2% of the UK population[1], ten times that of the US, which has captured the DNA records of only 0.5% of the population[3]. The key difference is that in the UK, samples and profiles are not deleted if the person in question is not charged with a crime, or even if their samples have been collected to exclude them from investigations. As a result, the database grows by around 30,000 records per month and has the profiles of 24,000 unconvicted children aged between 10 and 17[4].
Statistics
Number of records held: 3,785,571 at 31/03/2006 [2]
Percentage of population on database: 5.2% [1]
Monthly growth: 30,000 [4]
Number profiles of unconvicted 10-17 year olds: 24,000 [4]
Number of crimes solved per year using DNA database: 20,000 [4]
Cost from 2002 to 2007: £300 million [1]
Controversy
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Home Office - The national DNA database. Home Office. Retrieved on December 05, 2007.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Home Office - The National DNA Database Annual Report 2005-2006 (PDF). Home Office. Retrieved on December 05, 2007.
- ↑ Has our DNA database gone too far?. BBC News (September 05, 2007). Retrieved on December 06, 2007.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 All UK 'must be on DNA database'. BBC News (September 05, 2007). Retrieved on December 05, 2007.